A matatu belonging to Super Metro Sacco was on Monday evening set ablaze by irate boda boda riders along the Thika Superhighway following a deadly accident near Juja Town.
According to police, the 33-seater matatu was speeding towards Nairobi’s city centre when it allegedly knocked down a rider. The victim died on the spot, sparking outrage among fellow motorcyclists who swiftly gathered at the scene.
Witnesses said the driver immediately pulled over and allowed passengers to disembark as the angry crowd closed in. Within minutes, the mob descended on the vehicle, pelting it with stones before dousing it in fuel and setting it alight.
By the time police officers arrived, the matatu was engulfed in flames and destroyed beyond repair. Officers secured the scene, collected the victim’s body, and moved it to the mortuary for postmortem examination. The charred wreckage was later towed to Juja Police Station.
Authorities have launched investigations into the accident and subsequent arson attack.
“We are reviewing the events leading to the crash and the mob justice that followed. Action will be taken,” a police officer at the scene told reporters.
The incident caused heavy traffic disruption along the busy highway, leaving motorists stranded for hours.
This is not the first time such an incident has occurred. On August 7, a mob in Nairobi’s Donholm area torched a bus after it fatally knocked down a rider. In that case, passengers and crew fled before the bus was set ablaze.
The growing trend of mob retaliation has raised concerns over road safety, rising boda boda-related fatalities and the dangers of vigilante justice. Police have urged riders and motorists to remain calm and allow due process to take its course whenever accidents occur.
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